Auburn Trustees Agree to Mediate HOA Issues
Auburn Township Trustees agreed Monday to negotiate a resolution to a disagreement among three private homeowners associations over a trash collection area and an out…
Auburn Township Trustees agreed Monday to negotiate a resolution to a disagreement among three private homeowners associations over a trash collection area and an out building.
Danielle Szabo of Auburn Crossings HOA asked trustees what they can do to help convince the homeowners’ associations of the Woods of Auburn Lakes and Auburn Lakes to fully enclose a fenced-in trash container and maintain an out building.
All three developments meet at the intersection of Baybrook Lane and Auburn Lakes Drive, Szabo said after the meeting, and the two items of contention are in full view of residents of Auburn Crossings.
The Auburn Lakes trash collection area is contained on three sides with a board-on-board fence that blocks off the unsightly contents from residents of the Woods of Auburn Lakes, she said.
However, the fourth side, which is exposed to the Auburn Lakes residents, is walled off with a chain link fence, Szabo said.
On the Woods of Auburn Lakes side is an unsightly maintenance outbuilding that is in need of repair and landscaping.
“It’s a dump,” Szabo said.
She also called the trash enclosure a monstrosity, adding the Auburn Lakes HOA refuses to wall off the side with the chain link fencing for fear teens might engage in “hanky-panky” inside the enclosure if the wall was solid.
Trustee John Eberly noted there is a sign issue of long-standing between two of the HOAs.
“It’s not just a few months. It goes back a lot of years,” he said.
The trash collection area was built in the last three or four months, Szabo said.
Both developments are privately owned and maintained, Eberly said. The HOAs are responsible for snow plowing, road maintenance, etc., so the township crews never go there.
“I don’t see where we have any authority here,” he said.
Szabo said the Auburn Lakes HOA sent a letter to the Auburn Lakes HOA offering to pay to have the chain link fencing replaced with board on board fence, to no avail.
“They want it to be see-through,” she said.
Even if the developments are private, they may still fall under residential zoning guidelines, said Trustee Mike Troyan.
“I think we require some opaqueness for fences,” said Trustee Patrick Cavanagh.
Zoning Inspector Frank Kitko said he will review the planned unit development section in the zoning resolution.
Eberly said the trustees should be able to facilitate a compromise between the two HOAs.
“We were able to end the 100-year war with Bainbridge,” he said with a laugh.
Szabo said it would be helpful if trustees could take the negotiator’s role, and Eberly warned her a resolution will take time.
“Something like this doesn’t happen overnight,” he said.
Trustees agreed to postpone the purchase of equipment and materials to renovate the township baseball fields until the next meeting so they have time to review the preliminary estimate of $25,000.
